Silence — Trailer

Martin Scorsese swoops in just in time to throw his hat in the Oscar ring as he plans to deliver his latest film this Christmas. Now viewers are getting their first look at the Oscar-winning director's long-gestating passion film project, which from day one has been regarded as a potential awards contender.

Check out the very first trailer for Scorsese's much-anticipated religious persecution drama "Silence," starring Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver as two 17th-century Jesuit priests who are sent to Japan in search of their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) when word spreads about his alleged renunciation of his religious faith.

Based on the 1966 historical fiction novel by celebrated Japanese author Shusaku Endo, the movie is largely a fictional tale but is inspired by the real-life story of Portuguese Jesuit missionary Cristovao Ferreira (played here by Neeson), who was unfairly imprisoned, brutally tortured, and forced to denounce his faith during the turbulent era of the anti-Christian persecution in Japan.

The cast also includes GoT's Ciaran Hinds, Japanese superstar Tadanobu Asano (Ichi the Killer, Thor), Japanese actor Yosuke Kubozuka (Tokyo Tribe) and cult Japanese filmmaker/actor Shin'ya Tsukamoto (Tetsuo, Tokyo Fist). Two-time Oscar-nominated screenwriter Jay Cocks (Gangs of New York, The Age of Innocence) wrote the adapted screenplay under Scorsese's supervision.

"Silence" will open in limited release on December 23 before turning up in theaters nationwide in January.

synopsis: Martin Scorsese’s SILENCE tells the story of two Christian missionaries (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) who face the ultimate test of faith when they travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) -- at a time when Christianity was outlawed and their presence forbidden. The celebrated director's 28-year journey to bring Shusaku Endo’s 1966 acclaimed novel to life will be in theaters this Christmas.